


Walk The Line

by LiterallySophie



Category: The Tide (US Band), The Vamps (UK Band)
Genre: Academy, Earth power, Fire power, Fluff and Angst, Gravity power, Hurt/Comfort, Joe briefly mentioned, Light power, Mind Control, Water power, powers au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-04
Updated: 2017-06-18
Packaged: 2018-09-28 08:39:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10081757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiterallySophie/pseuds/LiterallySophie
Summary: In a world where those with special abilities are sent away and rarely seen again, James McVey has grown up learning to hide his abilities, and seems to be a normal guy, with a normal life and normal family. Until suddenly everything changes and he finds himself along with fellow mutants Brad, Tristan and Connor uncovering a secret that could change everything. Now he has to find a way to escape, but also to rescue Connor before time runs out. Life used to be so simple...





	1. In the Beginning

The first experience James had ever had with his manipulation abilities had been when he was very young; the kind of young when all your memories thinking back seem warm and fuzzy. His parents must have suspected that there was something not quite normal about their son, but they were perfect family unit – to admit that you had a mutation resulted in being sent away until you had learnt to control them and to harness the powers – except no one ever returned.

Really - all things considered - it was a miracle that he had ever been able to keep his abilities a secret for as long as he had. It had involved moving schools several times over the course of the sixteen years he’d been alive, which meant he’d never really had any long-lasting nor real friendships, but he had stayed with his family and that was what counted.

But he still knew something wasn’t right. Keeping such a major secret under wraps the whole time was exhausting. Sure, his parents knew, but keeping this a secret from his ever-curious younger sister was also beginning to become a problem.

He wriggled his toes in overly warm socks under the duvet and stretched out like a cat. The white paintwork arched up above his head to form the ceiling; the glow-in-the-dark stars still stuck there from when he’d got bored aged eight. Without turning over, he heard the door brush open, catching against the carpet.

“Morning, sweetheart.” His mother’s voice was soft, and warm with affection as she padded across the floor in slippers, reaching her hand down to brush his ruffled blond hair away from his face. “Your sister’s threatening to finish off the pancakes unless you come downstairs soon.”

 _That_ caught his attention, and he rolled over to face her. “Wait, what time is it?”

“Time that you got up. It may be a Saturday but you can’t stay in here all day.” She stood up from her perch on the end of his bed, and headed back out of the doorway, satisfied that the temptation of pancakes would soon bring him downstairs.

For a few moments longer, he stayed within the cocoon of warmth his duvet created around him, before giving into the hunger and slipping a hoodie over his PJs, taking the stairs two at a time. The kitchen was warm and smelt slightly of burnt cinnamon, with the sounds of the radio narrating from the window-sill, above the sink.

“You were ages,” Sophie whined, ducking as he went to swipe at her bed-hair, tilting forwards from her position, cross-legged on the chair. “I was gonna eat yours for you, but someone forced me not to.” She shot a none too judging look towards their mother, who chuckled softly and returned to stacking the dish-washer.

“Thanks,” James called across, snatching the pancakes out of his sister’s grasp. “What? Just because you got here first.”

“Whatever. Anyway, are you heading into town later, or not? Because I’m meeting up with Chloe and Louise but the bus-route I’m gonna have to take involves…”

He loved his sister, truly he did, but damn did she go on sometimes. Successfully tuning out of her continuing narration of her plans for the day, James settled into his chair and savoured the taste of the pancakes, only jolting back to attention when the sound of his own name echoed in his ears.

He glanced up from licking the sugar from his fingers. “Huh?” His father clutched a crumpled white envelope in his hands, motioning towards the door to the lounge.

“We need to talk.” That, in itself, was a warning sign, and James’ mind instantly flitted back to his grades from his science exams that week. He couldn’t think of anything else to be concerned about, but given that he hadn’t received his results back yet, it seemed to be the only likely option – other than the energy weaving beneath his skin, which he refused to even consider.

“Sure.” He replied easily though, kicking back his chair from the table and carrying his plate over to the dishwasher. “When?”

“Now.”

Oh yeah, this was serious. He caught sight of the look exchanged between his parents, before his Mum took a step back. The dishcloth was placed across the draining board as she abandoned her task. “Sophie, go upstairs for a moment, will you?”

“Sure.” Sophie shot a curious glance across to her blond-haired sibling before obeying the command and scampering off, her footsteps setting off the creaking step again. The sound echoed through the hallway, slowly dying away. The second it did – evidence that the youngest McVey sibling was now safely out of earshot – both adults settled down on opposite sides of the table. The envelope sat in the centre of the wooden surface, slightly dusty from the flour scattering across from pancake mix, and the crumpled lines stretching out from the imprints his father’s fingers had made.

“I want you to answer me honestly. I won’t be angry, son, I promise.” He took a deep breath, before meeting his son’s anxious sea-green gaze. “Have you used your…abilities…anywhere that you could have been seen?”

James frowned, his mind racing back over the past few days and coming up blank. The only out-of-the-ordinary thing that had happened recently was the opportunity he’d been offered to play at the June gig with a few of the more musically apt kids in his year.

“No,” he admitted finally, reaching up to brush strands of his messy hair out of his eyes. “You know I’m careful always.”

“Not careful enough it seems,” his father replied in a deadly flat tone of voice, listlessly sliding the envelope across the table. James flickered his gaze down to it, before finally giving into curiosity and lifting it up with trembling hands, mentally cursing his nerves. It was nothing. Just his father being over-dramatic or something. It had to be. There was no way that anyone could possibly have seen him –

There came a soft cry of anguish from behind him, and he instinctively reached back to comfort his mother when he finished reading the letter himself. “This is a joke, right? They can’t send me away?”

“James.”

He was only half aware of abruptly jumping up from his chair, and smashing the door shut behind him, his footsteps pounding on the stairs as he dashed for the safety of the darkness under his bedsheets. His heartbeat was throbbing in his ears as he knelt forwards, resting his forehead on his knees and balling his hands into fists, clinging onto the fabric of the blanket around him, and his breath coming in quick frantic gasps. He couldn’t go there, not to that place, they never come back, no-one ever sees them again, he had plans, but _oh god oh god oh god_ ….

-

His parents had tried to make his leaving as painless and kind as possible, with his favourite meals being prepared, and affectionate hugs granted more often than before. The cover story for his absence was that he was being sent away to boarding school for extra educational purposes and given his long list of previous schools, it wasn’t that unlikely a tale. James spent his last couple of days visiting all his favourites places about town, including the spot on the cliff, sheltered by a large tree where he used to note lyrics on a jotting-pad. Sophie was confused by the sudden arrangement, and she was clever. James suspected it wouldn’t take too long for her to put two and two together and he did not envy his parents that particular discussion at all. He was going to miss his sister – as far as siblings go they were pretty close, and sure, he knew she was feisty, but without a glare from a certain brother to keep the bullies cowering away, he was concerned that she’d be able to keep herself safe.

His last morning dawned overcast and dreary, much like his mood, and following breakfast he was met at the door by a smartly dressed porter with a large black car sitting on the driveway, the windows tinted so that to sneak a look inside was impossible. Hugs from his family, and a tearful kiss on the forehead from his mother sent him off down the front steps, and with one last lingering look at the terraced house that had been his home for the past two years, the door was closed behind him.

“Pretty fancy.” He commented lightly, trying to make conversation, and finding it slightly hard to speak past the lump in his throat. It was true – the cream leather seats merged into a tortoiseshell polished finish on the rest of the inner décor. A warm blue glow emitted from the lights that lined the floor, and James admired it for a few seconds.

“And protected from any tricks you might try.” The gruff voice replied from the front.

James was taken aback. The idea that he would try and escape or cause any harm to the man had not occurred to him at all, and he was somewhat shocked. The heat flooding to his palms reminded him that he had some certain elemental powers to keep under control and he fought it back, sending the lights a concerned look as they flooded red for a moment.

“The seatbelt.” Came his informative answer from the driver’s seat. “It’s also a restraint. Like I said – no fancy tricks around here.”

“Uh…” James focussed on the purring of the engine, sending tiny vibrations through the fabric. He pressed his palms to it, allowing the cool of the leather to seep into his skin. “Okay?”

There was a grunt. Then: “You may as well get some rest. It’s gonna be a damn long journey.”

-

James wasn’t too aware of falling asleep, but the next thing he knew the car was sliding gently to a halt and the car door was opening. A white gloved hand was offered to him, and he accepted it gratefully, stumbling forwards as blinding daylight flooded his vision.

“Careful, there.” A cheerful voice greeted him, and he blinked frantically to try and clear his vision, relieved when his eyes finally adjusted to the light.

“Woah.”

In front of him rose up a massive building complex, much like that of a grand manor. Thick ivy grew up the left-hand side, weaving back and forth to plait around the windows, and back down to arch over the doorway. Two massive dark wooden doors stood to attention at the front, and the brickwork was a variety of shades, with sandy pebbles curling along the corners like decorative oceanic swirls. To the side, a continually winding and moving spiral staircase was stretching along and up, leading to what seemed like a rooftop terrace. As far as he could see, the building stretched along, with windows scattered evenly along one wing of the complex, marking it out as the dorms. The windows were vast, with bubbled glass hindering any possible view inside, and to the other side of the doors was a crop of beautiful flowers, flooding colours over the walls and the waterfall seemingly floating in mid-air. Turning back around, James could just about make out two large black gates barring the entrance at the end of a long-gravelled driveway. Part of him considered that it was actually an option for him to continue to take in the site and still find new things with every look.

“I know. Impressive, right?” The dark-haired man next to him chuckled, gently shoving him forwards until he broke into a jog toward the marbled front steps. “Sorry to hurry you along but we have a schedule we like to keep to here.”

“Right. Sorry.” James shot him an apologetic look, tugging the cuff of his sleeve as it hung loosely around his wrist. His hoodie was somewhat stifling him in the sudden flood of heat as the restraint of the seatbelt was gone and his manipulations rushed back to his control. The doors parted to let them through at a single flash of his companion’s dark eyes at a previously unnoticeable camera.

“James McVey, right?”

“Yes.” He snuck a curious glance across at the older man. He didn’t seem to be too much older than himself, but the ease and confidence with which he carried himself made it obvious that he was comfortable and used to their current surroundings. Dark hair flopped over his forehead slightly with a faint curl to it, and the piercing dark brown eyes had a faint glow to them, like a coppery aura. James considered whether or not asking what his abilities were would be rude or not, and decided to wait and see if the information was volunteered.

“Right, well I’m just gonna check you in. I’m Joe by the way, and I’m your case manager for the time you’re here.” They stopped in an almost completely white room that reminded James of a hospital reception area. Or maybe, he thought dryly, it was more like an asylum reception. His attention was caught by a substantially sized corner sofa with a colourful patchwork pattern covering the fabric. This would be considered a relatively normal item of furniture if it weren’t for the fact that the pattern was moving – new colours flooding over each patch and slowly swirling around in a different shape each time – some stars, some hearts, some a peace sign and many others. He continued to stare wide-eyed at it for a moment before Joe’s hand landed on his shoulder.

“I don’t reckon you want to find out who your room-mate is, do you?” Joe asked him with a gentle teasing tone to his voice. James shot him a grin back, rolling his shoulder under the weight of his backpack as he peered down at the illuminated tablet in the other man’s hands.

“Bradley Will Simpson.” He read aloud, and raised an eyebrow.

“Don’t worry, you’re safe. He’s not a psychopath. Although, don’t let him sing around you.”

“Don’t let him sing?” James echoed in confusion. His expression must have been obvious as Joe laughed, waving a hand and letting the tablet melt into the air.

“Physikinesis.” He announced as if that explained everything. “My ability. It basically means that I can manipulate the laws of physics to however I want. Pretty cool when it comes to being lazy and not wanting to carry everything around with me. Anyway, Bradley’s ability is mental manipulation…literally. He can affect and control minds, and he’s a mischief-maker most of the time so watch out, but he’s a good guy and about as friendly as they get here.”

The wall in front of them melted away into thin air before reforming behind them once they had stepped forwards in the corridor. “So, if you don’t mind me checking – your abilities are pyrokinesis and…” He caught sight of James’ confused look. “You can control fire and earth, right?”

“Um, yeah.” James confirmed, quickening his pace. Doors spread out along to the right, and to his left a long string of windows cast rainbows across the stonework.

“Huh. So, you’re an elemental. That’s…interesting.”

James instantly caught onto his tone of voice. “Interesting?” He queried, frowning. “What exactly does that mean?”

Joe glanced up from apparently finding his shoelaces incredibly interesting. “Listen…an elemental is incredibly dangerous, because the elements are foundations of our world. To control one alone makes you a threat, theoretically. To control two, like you do…that’s outstanding. And all but unheard of. Listen,” he paused outside a grey streaked door. “You don’t have to take my advice, but as hopefully a friend, not just your case manager, I have to tell you… it’s probably best that you don’t let too many people know about your duel manipulations.” He shrugged, before giving him a cheerful grin again. “Just mentioning.”

“I…okay.” James found himself somewhat lost for words, curling his fingers around the overhanging fabric of his sleeve again in a nervous habit he’d never been able to rid himself of.

“This is your room. Your things will be on your bed and dinner will be at eight sharp. I wouldn’t recommend being late. Anyway, I’ll see you tomorrow for the introduction meeting.”

“Joe.” James took a step after him, then caught himself. “Never mind. I’ll see you in the morning.” Joe watched him curiously for a split-second longer, before the silver wristband on his right arm flashed indignantly at him and he pressed a finger to his ear, where presumably there was a transmitter.

“Right. I’ll be right over.” He spoke in quick hushed tones before patting James on his shoulder at an attempt at a comforting gesture. “You’ll be fine.” He reassured him, before turning around on his heels, rubber soled shoes squeaking in uncomfortably high-pitched sounds against the floor panels. The walls of the hallway parted to let him float through, and James rose onto his toes in attempt to sneak a peek through after him, but found it to be useless. The only thing he could see was a dark grey wall before the white cement was back in place.

“Okay.” He murmured to himself, running a hand through his blond hair and reaching out to press a hand against the door. There was a brief whirring sound like that of a small humming-bird, and then he caught sight of a flash of green LED lights along the top of the door. So, that was how the dorm security worked – fingerprint scanning.

Stepping into the room, he was first struck by the amount of music posters smothering the walls. The colour theme itself seemed to a real mixture with the paintwork – or at least what could be seen of it – being a cream colour, and the floorboards themselves being a warm oaken shade. A large fluffy rug covered most of this; a bright red and orange colour which lightened the room. A reasonably sized television stood to attention on the wooden table to the left, and a velvety blue sofa with a faux fur throw draped over it stood the right opposite the television. Through two doors to the back James could catch sight of a bathroom – rather small, with sandstone tiles and red towels – and through the other door there were two beds; one side of that room being decorated and the bedspread crumpled and unmade, but the other clean, with an unopened suitcase on the top next to a pillow that James recognised as his own. Dropping his backpack at his feet, he slipped off his trainers and left them next to the discarded somewhat mud covered pair also by the door which slid shut conveniently behind him. He fixed his attention on what had captured his attention the moment he had entered his room.

The boy who sat cross legged on the mat, with his back pressed up against the sofa, was investing all his concentration on the television screen in front of him. In his hands, he held a Wii controller with one edge slightly damaged with teeth marks, and his fingers moved swiftly and with purpose. Soft chocolate brown curls swept across his forehead, looking almost irresistible to run fingers through, with several strands falling free of the red and grey bandanna and the light turned long eyelashes a golden tint, framing warm honey-brown eyes that sparkled with mischief. His white t-shirt hung low down, displaying tanned skin, and baggy grey sweatpants completed the laid-back outfit.

For a moment, James stood awkwardly in the doorway, chewing nervously on his bottom lip. The slight tensing of the other boy’s posture revealed that he had noticed his new room-mate’s presence, and only when the sudden blast of noise from the TV sounded – proof that he’d won – did he finally look up, dropping the controller onto the floor. One dark eyebrow rose, and perfectly formed lips twitched into a wide grin.

“You planning on standing there forever?”

“Err.” James shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “Maybe?”

The other boy tilted his head back, laughing, before leaping to his feet, flamingo patterned socks slipping on the floorboards slightly. “That sounds pretty boring mate.” He stuck out a hand for James to shake. “I’m Brad.”

“James.” James shook his hand, relaxing slightly.

“Wow. You’re hot.” Brad exclaimed as their skin touched.

“Oh, uh, thanks?”

“Oh, not like that! Well, you are, but that’s not what I meant. I mean…uh…” Brad flushed, stumbling over his words until James took pity on him. The other teenager had to be a couple of years younger than him from the look of him.

“My ability.” James couldn’t keep the amused smile off his face as he explained his overly warm body temperature. “I can control fire.” Joe’s advice rung in his mind and he kept silent about his second manipulation, despite the nagging instinct that Brad could be trusted.

“You’re an elemental?” Brad’s eyes widened in awe and he sucked in a breath. “Wow. That’s so cool.” He nodded towards the guitar James hadn’t noticed before in the corner of the room next to the sofa. “I can control minds, but I’m most powerful when I sing.”

James couldn’t help himself. “So, you’re basically a siren?” He blurted out and broke into uncontrollable laughter at the outraged look on his new friend’s face. Brad folded his arms, pouting and looking more like an adorable kitten with its fur on end given the ruffled state of his curls than an angry teenager with the power to brainwash anyone he chose to.

“Actually, I guess I kind of am.” James held back a snigger, but only just. “I just know you’re laughing right now. I can sing without manipulating someone’s mind – I have to choose to control their head, so I hope you’re a music fan because I’m always singing or playing.”

“I’m gonna have to steal your guitar at some point.” James replied, sinking down onto the sofa and closing his eyes sleepily. It had been a long, and pretty emotional day.

Brad settled down next to him, curling his feet under him like a cat and watching the blond. “You play?”

James opened one eye. “Guitar or Mario Kart?” He motioned to the television screen and Brad shrugged.

“Either.”

“Both.” James yawned, shooting Brad an apologetic look. “Sorry. Long journey.”

“I get it, don’t worry. I’ll wake you up for dinner.”

James hummed softly under his breath as reply, drifting into the comforting abyss of sleep. He was only half aware of the dip in the sofa beside him withdrawing as Brad got up and then felt the warmth and soft fabric of the faux fur blanket being draped over him in an affectionate manner, and then the warmth of Brad curling up against him to continue playing Mario Kart before he lost the battle and gave into the need for sleep.


	2. Purple & New Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update! New character tags include: Levi Jones, Drew Dirksen, Austin Corini. Yes, Nate will be in this, and Connor will soon make an appearance. Thank you so much for all the comments - you guys are awesome! <3

“James.” Someone gripped his shoulders firmly, and shook him. For his part, James was comfortable and warm under the blanket tucked around his slumbering form and had no wish to move from his position for a good while yet. The overwhelming tiredness that he’d felt since that morning had eased slightly but he still felt like he could sleep for twenty-four hours straight. “James,” the voice spoke again, (annoyingly persistent) as the hands clutching at his shoulders tightened their grip. “You’re gonna miss dinner, and trust me, you’ll regret it.”

James opened one eye, blinking in surprise at the unfamiliar surroundings before turning his head slightly to come face to face with Brad. The younger boy was barely an inch away, so that their noses and foreheads were practically touching, and James could almost see what appeared to be a deep royal purple energy, whirling about the warm-brown irises of his friend’s eyes. Brad blinked, and the purple swirls disappeared as though they had never been there to begin with.

Brad glanced down, shifting uncomfortably as though he knew what James had seen. “I practise sometimes, and because everyone else’s powers are visible, like your fire…” He glanced up. “I get weird purple.”

“It’s actually pretty cool,” James comforted him and Brad quirked a smile.

“Thanks.” He murmured, before stumbling back, practically rolling off the couch. “Anyway, dinner’s in ten, and I figured I’d let you have time to change into clean stuff.”

“Yeah,” James agreed, grimacing down at his clothes. Travel wear never did feel good to wear after a longish sleep and he wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to take a shower. Ten minutes wasn’t long but he could make do. Swinging his legs off the sofa, he refolded the blankets and left it on top of the cushions, next to the controller, before slipping his way across the floorboards, his socks not providing him with much grip. Brad was rifling through one of his bed drawers until he found a grey beanie, which he attempted to bundle his curls into while James watched him in amusement.

“Oh, shut up,” Brad muttered self-consciously, flushing under James’ gaze.

“I didn’t say anything!” James protested, unlocking the keypad on his suitcase to sort through his things for a clean shirt.

Brad narrowed his eyes. “Your thoughts are too loud. I can’t help hearing them sometimes.”

“Wait, hold on.” James spun around on the spot, realisation striking like a cobra. “I thought you could only control minds, not read them?”

“Well, yeah. Forget I said anything. They don’t really like people with more than one ability around here, so keep quiet about it.” Brad’s gaze was unusually intense as he stared at James. “Please.”

James remained silent for a moment or two, seriously considering coming clean about his own duel manipulations before Brad turned away, his stature uncharacteristically tense. “Brad,” he called across. “I won’t say anything.”

Brad smiled at him, relief evident in his expression. “Thanks. Really.”

James nodded, before returning to his suitcase. It seemed strangely empty and as he rummaged through the previously neatly packed clothes and other such item, it became more and more apparent that there several things missing. His phone for one, which he hadn’t kept on him in case of some sort of security scan at the gate, or some excuse his parents had blundered to him. Still, he’d packed it in the luggage to keep them happy.

“Hey, Brad?” He questioned aloud, upending his entire suitcase contents onto his bed and deciding that he was definitely missing things. (Including his favourite top, but the phone was the most concerning thing of all.) “Do they go through your stuff before giving it back to you?”

Brad, finally having managed to correctly put on the beanie, and adjusting it by the mirror in the bathroom, the open door allowing him to glance across to the blond. Jamming a toothbrush into the corner of his mouth, he swung backwards like a gymnast from the doorway. “No idea. I guess. I’ve been here a long time, so I don’t remember.”

James frowned. “How long?”

“I came here when I was…” Brad squeezed white toothpaste onto the bristles of the brush, and mumbled through the scrubbing motions. “Five, six?”

James stared down at his clothes, feeling a sense of cold and nausea creep over him. They’d kept a little boy locked away from his family, and from the entire world his entire life, but Brad didn’t seem to think there was anything wrong with the way he’d been brought up, without ever really knowing his parents. He scrunched the corner of his white t-shirt in his fists, blinking back tears. It didn’t seem fair to him. Maybe he was lucky. He knew what it was like to have his mother tuck him in at night, and to have his father cook barbecues in the summer, and to play guitar and go the cinema with friends, and build sandcastles with his sister on the beach. He knew the taste of homemade crumbles and the soft feeling of the neighbours’ cats fur and the minute vibrations that ran through the animal when it purred. Brad would never know such memories and the sudden realisation made him want to wrap the younger boy up in a tight hug. Despite only knowing Brad a few hours, they’d instantly connected, and he could tell from the way the blanket had been draped over him and the genuine concern for James’ wellbeing when he’d almost slipped over that Brad was kind.

“You good?” Brad coughed out, his words muffled by the white foam that gave him the appearance of a rabid animal. He reached across to the tap, grabbing a towel from the pipes and tossing it across to James. “Take a shower later. Dinner never ends without a food fight when there’s a newbie. Usually, anyway. We don’t get new people that often here.”

“Right.” James stripped off his shirt, and tossed it across the bed, completely missing Brad’s appreciative glance over his abs as he wriggled into the fresh t-shirt. He left his jeans on, figuring that they weren’t that dirty and ran a hand through his hair. He had no idea where his hairbrush was, and Brad watched him in fond exasperation before tossing a spare green bandana across to him. Reflexes perfected after years of being picked on in schools, James shot up a hand to catch it without turning and Brad raised an eyebrow.

“Wow.” He kicked a pillow out the way and jumped onto his bed, sitting cross-legged in his apparently usual position while James attempted to put on the bandana. “Oh for…”

James shot him a pitiful look, widening his eyes like a lost puppy as he held out his hands, the green fabric dangling from them uselessly. “Help?” He pleaded, his blond locks ruffled from his failed attempts. Brad ducked his head to hide the laughter in his eyes before he beckoned him closer and James settled down in front of him.

“If you would hold still then this would be a lot easier.” Brad muttered through clenched teeth, finally managing to slide the bandana into a place he was satisfied with. James reached up a hand and Brad instantly snatched it away, glaring at him. “Do not ruin my work!” He exclaimed with a horrified look.

James attempted to hold back his laughter before giving up, flopping back against the multiple pillows and almost whacking his head against the wall if not for Brad’s quick movements.

“Ready to go?”

James closed his eyes, sucking in a deep breath. The heat underneath his skin flooded to his palms, weaving between his fingers and reacting with his nerves before a sudden dip of the mattress next to him broke his concentration. He’d never been popular at schools, and he could blend in during the horrors of lunch-times and breaks, by escaping to the music room or library. Here, there would be nobody to take the attention away from him. The idea of hundreds of eyes on him made him want to throw up, and his heartbeat increased, pounding in his ears. He scrunched up the loose fabric of the duvet in his sweaty palms, sucking in a breath.

“Hey.” Brad was frowning, his melted-chocolate eyes narrowed and his hand resting tentatively on James’ shoulder. “You’ll be fine. Don’t think so badly of yourself.”

James blinked in surprise, before mentally chastising himself for forgetting. _Right. He can read minds._ That was bound to become a problem sooner or later but for now, he was concentrating on not bottling out and hiding in the bathtub for the entire evening. Brad shifted closer to him, flopping down onto his front and lifting his legs into the air, swinging his ankles back and forth. The bracelets decorating his wrists were a colourful contrast against the black of his jacket, and James turned his gaze away to bury his face in the pillow. He was naturally an anxious person due to hiding his abilities all the time, and the bullying from other kids all his childhood hadn’t helped.  

“I promise you that they’re alright.” Brad hesitated, before continuing, his voice soft and warm with concern. “There’s three people in particular who you’ll like. One of them has been here as long as I have, so we’re close, and Tristan’s a great guy, so you’ll get on well. He’s pretty crazy and a joker, but he’s… well, he’s awesome, and he cares too much sometimes. Then there’s Levi and Drew, who are basically inseparable. Austin’s pretty cool too, but he keeps to himself recently because he’s going through extra training which I guess must be pretty exhausting. But he’s awesome. Oh, and then there’s Ebony, and you’ll like her a lot, because you’re sort of similar.”

“Brad?”

“Yeah?”

“Shut up?”

Brad grinned mischievously. “If I do, will you get up?”

James groaned and burrowed further into the darkness of the pillow, before the hunger growls forced him into rolling over. Brad appeared triumphant, and leapt onto the floor with the energy of a playful kitten, dragging at James’ top eagerly.

“C’mon, I’m hungry.”

James allowed himself to be tugged across the floor, pausing only to stuff his socked feet into his trainers before following Brad down the corridor. The same white-washed walls were bare of any décor or homeliness at all, and with the same tiles everywhere he was hard pressed not to get lost if it weren’t for Brad bounding along beside him, still chattering about people who he’d get along with. The corridors finally came to an end outside what appeared to be a massive lounge area, with several house-plants growing along one wall, and thick mustard-coloured carpet across the floorboards. Two gigantic lift doors spread apart following the blue retina scanners flickering across Brad’s face, and James followed the younger boy into the lift with trepidation. The doors slid shut behind him with a hiss, snapping shut to be replaced with a low electronic hum as the lift lowered. Instantly the sensation of falling as it speeded up made him feel light-headed, and he reached out to clutch at the railing. Mirror panels spread across the walls affected perspective and he couldn’t help but feel somewhat dizzy by the time the doors parted again. He’d lost count of time, and wondered how deep below ground they were. The idea of some much tight-packed soil stood above his head made shivers crawl down his spine, and he shook himself out of the trance-like state he had fallen into.

Brad paused outside a silver paint streaked door, turning to face him with a reassuring smile. “You ready?”

James shook his head, fixing his sights on his shoes and swallowing nervously. He was so unbelievably not ready for this. You’d have thought after moving schools so often that he be used to the attention that a new kid always receives but he still wished he could crawl away onto a deserted beach with his music and just listen to the sound of the waves crashing and paint the pastel colours of the sunset. His happy place. He still wished he could find somewhere like that, but where he lived before, the sand had always been covered with tanned tourists with cameras and wind-breakers.

“You’ll be fine, mate, seriously.” Brad clamped a hand to James’ wrist, hidden beneath the draping of the jacket over the comforting grip, and pushed open the door. Bright lights flooded their vision for a moment before the blinding pure white was replaced with a chaotic mess of colour and noise. Taken aback, James stayed frozen in the doorway before a familiar voice whispered across to him.

_C’mon, I’ll introduce you to Tris._

He frowned as realisation struck that he’d heard Brad speak inside his mind. Brad shot him an apologetic grin, grimacing as he tried to cover his ears with the hand he wasn’t holding onto the blond with.

_Sorry, but you wouldn’t be able to hear me if I spoke._

James raised his eyebrows and Brad gave him an exasperated sigh in return.

_I promise that I’m not controlling your mind, or reading your thoughts. Happy, now?_

James didn’t get a chance to respond as a tall blond teen, about his own height, bounded over, skidding to a halt just in front of them. Black ripped skinny jeans coated his legs, combined with a baggy leopard print shirt, hanging over his skinny form like a blanket, and loose grey sneakers with undone laces trailing behind his ankles clung to his feet. Blond hair was scraped back but still stood wild with several strands falling over startlingly blue eyes, the colour of the sky reflecting against waves, and the piercing irises were staring intently at James. Breaking into a welcoming grin, the boy fell back onto his heels, sticking out a hand for him to shake. Hesitantly accepting the grip, James almost squeaked in alarm as he was dragged forwards into a strong hug. Skinny arms wrapped around his back, and James yelped as freezing cold shot across his body and his vision blurred, darkening. Losing his sense of direction and trying to suck in a breath desperately, James tumbled backwards, crashing into something warm, and only faintly aware of the steam rising from his palms.

“Tris! What the _hell_ did you do?” A vaguely familiar voice was yelling, and warm fingers were running through his hair in a relaxing gesture. James leaned into the touch before reality came crashing back down and icy grip the cold had across his chest dispersed. Breathing in deep, he attempted to scramble upwards, almost losing his balance before Brad’s arm snaked around his chest, supporting his weight. James could practically feel the concern flooding off the shorter boy in waves as he met James’ bewildered blue gaze with a worried look.

For his part, Tristan was breathing heavily, steam still rising from his hands, like James’. James watched in fascination as water snaked around his hands, cooling and sweeping away the steam, before the deep blue liquid dispersed into thin air. Tristan stared across at him, his shoulders shaking with minute tremors.

“Dude.” He whispered incredulously. “You are _on fire_.”

“Uh, technically, I can manipulate fire, but…” James mumbled in return, still staring at Tris’ hands where the water had been. He could control it by choice? That was awesome!

“Oh, right. That makes more sense. Obviously, I can manipulate water. So, I run cold all the time, which sucks for Brad when I try and use him as a pillow on movie nights. Sorry, by the way. For what it’s worth, it was a shock to suddenly feel warm as well.”

“Wait, does that mean whenever you two touch, there’ll be steam?” Brad questioned, disappointment evident in his expression. Tristan frowned, before hesitantly reaching out and tapping James’ forearm with one finger. The lack of reaction made his eyes light up with glee.

“Apparently not. I guess that’s because I wasn’t holding back with my abilities before, whereas I am now.” Tristan’s face darkened for a moment as he stared down at the glowing blue wrist band strapped tightly to his arm, and stared across the room towards a stern looking man, just visible amongst the shadows, and dressed in a black uniform.

James followed his gaze and went to speak when Tristan grabbed his arm, leading him across to a table, Brad settling down in a chair next to him, whereas the other blond collapsed down on James’ opposite side, and rested his feet across James’ lap.

 _Don’t worry, he does it all the time. It means he likes you._ Brad reassured him in his mind as James looked suitably shocked. He tried his best not to jump; he still wasn’t used to randomly hearing Brad’s voice in his head.

“Brad.” Tristan hissed across and the curly-haired boy blinked frantically to disperse the purple that had consumed his irises whilst using his abilities. “I thought they were teaching you not to show it?”

“I can’t help it,” Brad replied defensively, pressing the pads of his fingers against the marble pattern of the table top anxiously. Across from the table, a blond teen who looked younger than Brad, had his back rested against his curly-haired companion, whose red tie-dyed top contrasted with his clear-sky eyes. The blond was grinning at a joke between the two of them, but looked up in concern at Brad’s obvious agitation, his own ocean eyes wide as the previous laughter died away.

“Did we miss something?”

Tristan shook his head, still exasperated. “Nope. Just Brad being an idiot in front of everyone.”

James finally managed to get a word in edge-ways, still seriously confused about the entire situation and trying not to think about how hungry he was as he watched the kids on the table opposite shovelling fries into their mouths at a rate of knots. “Okay. _What?_ ”

“Hi,” Blondie greeted him with a wave, before dipping his hand underneath the table again to fiddle with the edge of his top. “I’m Drew. And this is Levi.” He introduced his friend who shot him a warm smile.

“I’m James.” He replied, managing to tear his gaze away from the fries to catch Brad’s amused gaze as his friend slid back his chair, balancing as he almost tripped over Drew’s outstretched feet.

“Anyone else hungry?”

Drew raised a hand, before jumping up to help him. “We’ll get it.” He shot Levi a look that the other boy interpreted and left the situation well alone, instead keeping a mournful look on the empty chair to his left. Tristan hesitated for a moment before reaching across the table, patting his shoulder sympathetically.

“I’m sure he’ll be here in a minute.”

“Yeah, but what if he isn’t?” Levi murmured, still looking upset. Shaking his head, he glanced up to meet James’ eyes. “Sorry, this isn’t the first impression I’d have liked.”

Tristan frowned. “Same here. I didn’t purposely try to give you hypothermia, I promise.” He watched the two disappearing figures as Brad playfully shoved Drew as they headed across to the food stalls. “If they think you’re really powerful or some shit like that, then they give you extra classes and no-one comes back from them the same. Brad is seriously powerful, even if he doesn’t realise it, and if they found out then…” He trailed off, his eyes haunted by some previous horrors and James subconsciously leaned closer towards him, brushing shoulders. “Anyway, according to his lessons at the moment, he shouldn’t be showing his abilities off when he practises, but he is which makes it obvious he’s more powerful then he claims. Which is why I got angry.”

“Austin was the last person they took for extra training.” Levi added, staring at the empty chair still, before yawning. “I swear they give me Maths just before this just to be cruel.”

Tristan sniggered, ignoring Levi’s mock-outraged look at the lack of sympathy.

“Evans, you are evil.”

“Why, thank you, Jones.”

The two exchanged looks and broke out into laughter. Turning back to James, Tristan propped his feet up on the table and inspected him.

“What?” James asked, glancing down at his t-shirt self-consciously.

“Nothing. Just wondering how you’ve managed to stay hidden all this time given that you control fire.”

“I don’t get attached.” James replied, his tones dead and flat as he tried to block out the unhappy memories. Tristan sensed he’d reached his limit, and began to change the subject when Brad sank down heavily into the chair next to James. Relieved of the distraction, the blond turned away to his room-mate, and snuck a hand out to steal one of the fries off his plate. Brad smacked his hand away indignantly, and Drew quirked a grin at the interaction.

“Yep, he’s just like you, Tris. He’s gonna fit in, awesome.”

“Drew,” Tristan whined, exaggerating the name dramatically. “I do not steal your food all the time.”

“Yeah, you do. Feet off.” Drew flicked his ankle and Tristan withdrew his feet with a mournful look towards the table-top. “Austin still not here?”

“No.” Levi replied shortly, reaching across for his plate from the loaded tray. Brad passed James one, loaded with salad leaves and a burger and some fries and shrugged at James’ wide-eyed look.

“You’ve gotta be hungry, and I didn’t know what you would like. Sue me.” He explained, and Tristan sniggered, taking a monster-bite of his chicken.

“Thanks.” James dug into his food, pushing aside painful memories and the hundreds of questions plaguing his mind. For some reason, he felt somewhat nauseous but forced down the food anyway, before staring down at his plate, feeling strangely upset. Swallowing past the lump in his throat, he clenched his fists under the table. Feeling James’ shoulders tense against his own, Tristan glanced across and noted the expression. Letting out an exaggerated yawn, he kicked back his chair and aimed a light and teasing punch across and between Brad’s shoulder-blades.

Coughing, and his eyes watering painfully, Brad shot him a glare when he caught sight of James’ silent form and nodded gratefully across to Tristan. “Anyone up for Mario Kart?”

“You’re such a nerd,” Drew sniggered and Levi raised an eyebrow at him.

“One word; Pokémon.”

Drew glared at him. “Whatever,” he muttered, ducking his head to hide his grin. “Actually, I’m gonna try and find Austin.”

“Yep, same here.” Levi spoke up, shoving his final fry into his mouth and wiping his fingers on the tissue to the side of his plate. “And get the idiot to eat something, even if he is too tired or whatever his excuse is this time round.”

“Laters.” Tristan announced with a mock salute, nudging James’ shoulder to break him out of the apparent day-dream he had fallen into. “C’mon, time for me to take my rightful place as king.”

“Oh, _please_.” Brad rolled his eyes, making his way through the crowd. “Hey, what’s with everyone tonight? They haven’t even noticed James yet.”

“Yeah, but his arrival wasn’t announced.”

Brad looked taken aback. “But they always…?”

“Not this time.” Tristan shrugged, kicking the door open and ignoring the red light that flashed at him in warning for the violent action. The lift ride seemed longer than before, and James blinked sleepily, subconsciously leaning against Brad’s side. He completely missed the affectionate smile Brad shot across at him as he closed his eyes and practically _snuggled_ into the arm slung around his shoulders. Tristan smiled, and hummed softly under his breath as the two stumbled along the corridors once the lift doors opened. James reached out, tapping the door to allow his fingerprints to be recognised and bee-lined for the couch once it opened. Tristan followed him, leaping onto the cushions, and flopping back to rest his head in James’ lap, his instant liking of the fellow blond allowing him to instantly forget any social boundaries that there may be.

Only Brad stopped to make sure the door was shut, sighing dramatically at his friends’ antics and grabbing the controllers from the floor before leaping onto the arm of the sofa and practically army-rolling over to land with his legs draped across James’ shoulders and his head resting against Tristan’s chest, the steady heartbeat relaxing him. Handing out the other two controllers, he shook off his beanie and yawned. James reached across for the blanket, and tossed it over the three of them. Still upside down, Brad burrowed his way through the soft fabric to achieve a view of the television, and the familiar banter started up.

Sleepy, warm and comfortable and surrounded by his friends and laughter, James realised with a pang of guilt what was different. He wasn’t worried about seeming like a freak, even to his family. These friends would except him for who he is; not judge him for his abilities. This was the closest he had to a true family now. And as Brad accidently kicked him in the face and Tris drifted off to sleep, snoring against his knees, and clinging onto James’ hand in his sleep, he realised that he was genuinely happy about it.


	3. In The Dark Silence So Loud

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies! Thank you so much for all the amazing response to the last chapter. I'm sorry I'm late, but revision etc. You know how it is :) New characters tags: Nate Parker.

Warm breath ghosted over his collarbone, and James shuffled further back into the curve of the sofa cushions. Feeling the gentle weight splayed across his chest move slightly, he felt something soft tickle his chin. The scuffling of shoes against floorboards had him listening, once again aware of reality as he opened his eyes. It was dark, the glow of the television screen just about illuminating the room, and casting a blue halo around Tristan’s silhouette as the tall blond bent over to tie up his shoe laces. 

“Hey,” James called across, keeping his voice low so as not to wake Brad who was still asleep, slumped across his chest with his ruffled curls tickling James’ chin. Tristan glanced across and gave him a half-smile. 

“Wow, sleeping beauty finally wakes.” He settled down on the edge of the sofa, stretching his arms up above his head and wincing as his shoulder clicked. James watched him for moment in a comfortable silence before automatically going to check his wrist for the time, remembrance that his watch had been one of the items taken from his suitcase coming slightly too late. His mind was still foggy with sleep, and he blinked away the blurriness from his vision. Brad made a small snuffling noise, like a hedgehog, before burrowing further into the warmth of his friend’s chest, the white fabric of the t-shirt tugged between his fingertips. 

“You sure that…uh…you don’t want to stay? It’s pretty late.” At least James guessed it was, given the way the lights had systematically dimmed and the fact that Brad was fast asleep. Tristan shrugged, resting his hands in his lap as he met James’ still-tired gaze, and leant back for a moment. 

“Nah, I’m good. My room’s not far from here, I’ll be okay.” James imagined attempting to find his way through the maze-like network of corridors, the endless white paintwork almost brainwashing in style, and found himself grimacing in sympathy. How Brad had managed to grow up here, he would never be able to comprehend. Almost as though he could read his thoughts, Tristan sat upright again and shot him a grin. “You’ll get used to it eventually, I promise.” He caught his bottom lip between his teeth, chewing in an anxious yet thoughtful gesture, his eyes glazing as he drifted off into other thoughts. He jolted back to reality as Brad stretched out across the sofa cushions, his foot kicking Tristan directly in the thigh. Shooting the curly-haired boy a fond look, he ran long, elegant fingers through the chocolate mop and smiled as Brad tilted his head into the gentle touch.

“You two are really close, aren’t you?” James couldn’t help the words slipping out, but Tristan just turned his gaze (a deeper shade of blue now he was tired, that was more like the colour of the sea about the deeper trenches in oceans) to him, the obvious affection still there. He tapped a rhythm out across his knee with his spare hand, humming softly under his breath before simply nodding, his blond hair flipping across his forehead like a wave with the movement.

“Yeah. Brad was alone for a long time. They never were able to pair him with a roommate for too long because he was never able to gain proper control of his abilities when he was younger. A lot of people thought he was even more of a freak because of the way no one ever stayed with him for long. Then I turned up, and well…he’s Brad. It’s sort of impossible not to love him.”

“I figured that much out,” James agreed, listening intently to the tune Tristan was still humming and noting the way Brad relaxed completely upon hearing the music. 

“Yeah.” Tristan’s expression darkened as he glanced down at the floorboards, his shoulders tensing with the onslaught of unwelcome memories. “Really, Brad’s been through a bad experience with the last room-mate he had. He likes you, and he trusts you.” He lifted his hands into the air, allowing the water droplets to materialise and float around the air, gradually forming the image of a lion before falling back into streams of silvery light, intertwining between his fingers. “I’m not normally serious, but really, I will destroy you if you hurt him.” With a fluent flick of his wrist, he sent several of the water droplets darting across to James, who jolted back with a started gasp. Tristan bent forwards, his eyes wide and genuine. “Trust me.” 

James sucked in a breath between gritted teeth before nodding, and holding out his hands, palms placed upright. The water droplets skittered across his palms, glowing a beautiful amber hue before rising up and twirling about the air, dancing amongst the moonlight flooding in from the window that James hadn’t noticed before. The silver light touched everything into a magical shade, and the water glowed as much as it did inspire. Staring in amazement, James shook his head but couldn’t escape the feeling of amazement, a sense of peace and a mixture of unidentifiable emotions. 

“Wow.” He breathed, earning himself an amused chuckle as Tristan flexed his hands, and beckoned the water back to him with a flash of blue and silver energy around his fingers. “Hey, um, Tris?”

The blond turned to face him with an expectant look, one hand still hovering above the door handle to leave. “Yeah?”

“I won’t hurt him. I promise. I care about him too.” 

Tristan ducked his head to glance down at his feet, before nodding. As he slipped out of the room, James caught sight of an honest smile playing across his features, and felt satisfied that he had convinced and perhaps even begun to earn the other blond’s trust. 

“Brad?” He whispered, after sitting in a peaceful silence for a few moments. He knew from unfortunate experiences in the past that sleeping in such a position would result in the headache from hell the next morning, and he really did not fancy spending his first full day at the academy in pain and clinging to a bottle of water. “C’mon, you can’t sleep here.” 

An annoyed and sleepy grumble came from his side, muffled through his shirt; a strange mixture of words that could either have been why, fine, or go away (and a variety of other phrases that he didn’t want to consider). “Brad,” he began to continue before stopping, and shaking his head fondly. Honestly. Brad reminded him of Sophie on movie nights – his sister never had been one to pull all-nighters. “Fine,” he sighed, but caught himself smiling as he slid one arm underneath the sleeping teenager, and the other around his shoulders, cradling Brad close to him as he attempted to carry the younger boy through to their shared bedroom. His legs appeared to have lost all feeling and he stumbled across the floorboards like a drunk man before catching his balance. Thank God Brad wasn’t too heavy – James was mainly used to carrying guitars about, and occasionally a certain younger sister, but a teenager? That was new. 

“Okay,” he murmured under his breath, tugging back the blanket as best he could, and setting Brad down as gently as possible, drawing the duvet back over him. Brad snuggled into the new-found warmth, but didn’t stir, and James stood back, crossing his arms as he mentally congratulated himself on a job well-done. And then there was his bed, still covered in his things from his suitcase, that he really couldn’t find the energy to deal with. But if Brad could leave random socks lying around, he considered as he nudged the red item out of the way with one toe, then he could dump his stuff on the floor until the morning. Sweeping everything onto the carpet with one arm, he flopped face down, dragging each sock off with the opposite foot, before closing his eyes. 

-

The first thing James was aware of was the high-pitched sound of an alarm, shrill and easily piercing through the hazy cloud of dreams he was drifting through. Jolting upright, he instantly scrambled backwards until he almost hit his head against the wall. Where the hell was he? Casting a glance sideways, he caught sight of Brad, one arm pressing the pillow to his face to hide away from the alarm, and the memories came flooding back. At home, it was a Monday; Pancake Evening, for as long as he could remember. He didn’t even know how the tradition had started, but it had always been their thing and something familiar to come home to after whatever tortures school had presented him with that day. Now, he thought ruefully, he couldn’t escape school. 

“Brad?” He called across, noting the death grip Brad had on the pillow. There was no getting him up unless he did so of his own accord, James figured. “Do you want the shower first, or…?”

“Knock yourself out,” came the sleepy reply, muffled through the fabric of the pillow. James didn’t question him, instead heading straight for the bathroom. He was mainly surprised by the heated-flooring which he had not been expecting, but also, the water pressure was fantastic. Having his own shower-gel he had packed missing, he was forced to use one of the small bottles already there, clearly one of the academy’s own brand. It wasn’t too bad, and the scent of coconut wasn’t something he was annoyed about by any means. The lack of uniform was by the far the best part about the academy that he had discovered so far, and he bundled himself into a blue hoodie and jeans without too much thought. Meanwhile, a still half-asleep and incredibly unsocial Brad appeared to have woken himself up after a shower, despite the angry yelp that sounded from the bathroom as the younger teen discovered how high the temperature had been turned up. James made a mental note to always turn it down after using it; Brad, unlike himself, was not immune to practically burning water. 

Breakfast was a quiet affair, with Tristan nowhere to be seen, and Drew literally asleep at the table, cushioning his head on his crossed arms in front of him. Levi was all but inhaling a bagel, and recommended the same to James with a knowing smile, leaning across to attempt to shake his blond friend awake before admitting defeat. 

“What’s up with Drew?” Brad questioned, his spoon of frosted flakes hovering half-way to his mouth as he stared at his sleeping friend. James took a bite of his bagel, and closed his eyes at the explosion of flavours. Whoever the cooks were at this place, they deserved some kind of award; these were better than the New York bagels and they were really damn hard to beat. 

Levi’s gaze flickered away for a moment, and he looked intently down at his crumb-scattered plate, not answering for a good minute or so. “He’s just tired.” 

“Yeah, so am I, but there’s a difference between tired and comatose at breakfast.” 

“Big word.” Levi diverted the flow of conversation. Brad narrowed his eyes, a suspicious look crossing his features before he shook his head. 

“Uh huh.” 

The rest of breakfast passed in a tense silence, and James was more than happy to escape the heavy atmosphere once they returned to their shared room. Brad was fiddling with the leather strap of one of his many worn bracelets up his arms, and didn’t say much before suddenly turning to him. 

“Do you think Drew’s okay?”

James was taken aback, blundering for an answer. “Um, sure? I don’t know, I just met him.” Personally, he was wondering where Tristan had disappeared to, but Brad’s apparent lack of reaction compared to Drew’s state meant that it was nothing to be concerned about, and probably a regular event. 

Brad shook his head, shooting his taller friend an apologetic smile. “Yeah, I know. I’m sorry. We’re all a bit weird at the moment, I guess, since everything started happening with Austin.” He bit his lip, considering something for a moment before turning back to James. “So, what’s your first lesson?” 

James shrugged. “No idea. I think I was supposed to meet Joe or something, but no-one’s told me anything, so I’m planning to hang out here for a bit.” He eyed the guitar gleefully. “Maybe try out that beauty.”

Brad smirked, trailing his fingers across the glossy paintwork of the guitar. “You wish. I’m kidding, later, I promise. But you don’t want to be stuck in here all day.” He nodded towards the dog-eared posters appreciatively. “I mean, the décor’s awesome and all, but have you even seen the campus yet?” 

“Nope,” James admitted, running a hand through his hair as he paused in his hunt for a comb. 

“Okay, well we aren’t staying in tonight. We’re going out. But first I have lessons, so sucks to be me. Anyways, I’ll take you across to the main reception area and we’ll figure out where Joe’s got to.”

“Or, he could just ask me?” A voice chimed, a warm laugh echoing through the room at Brad’s overly dramatic reaction. “Hey James. How was your first night with the local bear?” 

Brad pouted. “Dammit Joe, I’ve told you not to call me that.”

“If Tristan can, then I can.”

“You’re my case manager, isn’t it unprofessional or something?” 

Joe considered this for a moment before shrugging one shoulder in a noncommittal gesture. “Probably.” He turned to James, clicking his fingers to allow the tablet from before to materialise in front of him. “So, uh…hold on,” he added after a moment, digging his hand into his back pocket of his trousers and retrieving a colourful map, slightly crumpled at the edges, but still readable and clear to see. “You’ll need this. Anyway, I’ll be checking in with you later, but your first class is actually History, so you struck lucky tutor wise.”

Brad grimaced, half buried under the sofa in his search for the guitar pick he’d accidentally knocked under there. “Yeah, that Physics guy? Total jerk.”

Joe lowered the tablet, glaring at the dark-haired boy and aiming a light kick at the unprotected ribs, resulting in a muffled yelp of indignation. “Hey, I resent that.”

“I take it back; you’re awesome.” 

“Much better. Anyway, just follow the high-lighted route and you’ll be fine.” He patted James lightly on the shoulder, giving him a firm nod. “I’d explain more to you, but I’ve got to get to my own training session now, so…” He trailed off, the explanation obvious enough. James just gave him a polite smile, and watched the retreating figure until he disappeared through yet another wall. Seriously, that kind of thing was going to start giving him the creeps if Joe kept doing it without warning. 

“You good?” Brad’s voice made him jump, and he glanced round to see the younger boy twirling a pen between his fingers, his eyes tinted with violet hues. Brad ducked his head to hide his eyes from James until the blond felt a wave of light-headiness wash over him in a powerful mixture of strange emotions. Feeling out to press his hand against the wall, the unmoving concrete grounded him until he could open his eyes. The room appeared to be blurry and dark around the edges, but when he glanced outside the doorway, everything seemed familiar as though he had known it all his life. 

“Sorry.” Brad’s voice was relatively quiet, and when James looked across to him, he seemed paler than usual. Energy weaved around his hands and forearms, evaporating with several blinks of his wide eyes. “I’m normally more in control than that. It’s the first time I’ve practised on someone else.” 

“What…” James found trouble finding his words, licking his lips and taking a step forwards. “What did you do?”

“Kind of difficult to explain.” Brad glanced up, finally meeting his gaze. “I sort of gave you a map I guess. I know my way around, so I put that information into your head. Trust me, getting lost in this place? It sucks, big time.” A high-pitched ringing sound echoed through the corridors, loud and uncomfortably sonorous, reverberating about the room like thunder. Once the noise had stopped, even the guitar strings were still softly vibrating until Brad leant down and lightly held his fingertips to it, stopping the sound with a single movement. “We’ve gotta go,” he explained, nodding towards the hallway where the noise had originated. “I’ll see you at lunch.”

“Uh huh. Oh, and Brad?” He stopped, turning around to hear the response. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” 

Settling into a relatively quick pace down the corridor in the opposite direction, James found it an eerie feeling to know instinctively where he was going. It didn’t take long to reach two large doors, with a red string of lights across the top, which flashed green in recognition as he pushed one of the metal doors open. The corridors beyond were busy and milling with people everywhere, scuttling about like mice. One kid was flitting between the crowds faster than James could properly watch him, a blur of colours amongst the hordes of people, before suddenly appearing next to him. 

“Hey.” Speedy announced, ruffling his blonde hair with one hand. His voice was quiet and he tapped his foot, almost as though he couldn’t bear not be moving at any moment. “Not seen you around before. You a newbie?” 

“Yeah.” James caught himself staring, and tore his gaze away hurriedly, flushing. “I’m James.” 

“Good to meet you.” The kid stuck out one hand, seizing James’ own and shaking it thoroughly before appearing to be satisfied with his greeting. “I’m Nate.” He glanced down, suddenly aware of the annoyed looks they were receiving as the crowd parted to pass around them, several long hisses and curses shot across towards the shorter boy. “Nate Parker.” He continued, attempting to block them out, but James caught sight of the way he tugged the loose fabric of his baggy shirt closer to him in a subconsciously nervous gesture. “Ignore them, a lot of us here are complete jerks for no reason at all.” He shrugged. “You’d figure we’d want to stick together, but nope.” His gaze flickered curiously over James but he kept his mouth shut. James suspected which question the kid was begging to ask, but he didn’t feel like disclosing information about his abilities. Nate didn’t press any further either, to give him credit, but shifted from foot to foot awkwardly. 

“I don’t want to be late,” James began, and Nate nodded enthusiastically.

“No, sure, I get it. Hey, you want to meet up later?”

James smiled – at least he’d found someone who wasn’t Brad, Tristan, Drew or Levi. Austin still remained mysterious, although he hoped they’d get along given how highly Levi and Drew spoke of the other teen. Nate seemed friendly enough, and his power was obvious enough. There was also the fact that he had instantly earnt himself the nickname of The Flash in James’ mind, which just made him laugh. What he didn’t like was the way all the other students seemed to glare at the young teen. “Sure thing,” he agreed. 

“I’ll meet you at the library then, after lunch.” Nate didn’t wait for an answer, instead jumping into a sprint that had him disappearing within seconds. James stared after him for a moment, before someone barging into him had him jolting back into awareness, practically crashing into the wall to the side of the passageway. Everyone seemed to be ignoring him, but James could still feel eyes burning him with a watchful presence. Glancing up, he couldn’t seem to spot anyone looking at him, but he still headed to class keeping an eye out, unease prickling down his spine.


End file.
